Replacement (Making Up for Yesterday)

"Sasuke that bastard actually still wouldn't admit it."

Naruto Uzumaki cursed as he opened his front door.

As the door opened, the smile on Naruto's face slowly faded.

Outside, he was cheerful.

At home,

his emotions barely stirred.

After all, he was different from everyone else. He had no family.

All he had was a space of his own.

"I'm back."

He set his shoes by the door and called out anyway, even though no one was there.

He had not expected any response.

"You're back. Get ready to eat."

Yet a very familiar voice came from inside the house.

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened. He lived alone.

A familiar voice had suddenly appeared in his room—what kind of ghost story was this?

He rushed inside.

There, he saw a black-haired teenager in an apron setting dishes on the table.

The boy's face was extremely familiar, yet Naruto could not remember where he had seen him.

"Who... are you?"

Naruto Uzumaki asked hesitantly.

If not for that strange sense of familiarity, he would not have hesitated so much.

It felt as though he saw that face every day, yet he could not remember where he had seen it at all.

Naruto's face twisted up as he racked his brain, but he still could not figure out where he had seen that face.

"Why ask so many questions?" The black-haired teenager curled his lip.

"Hurry up and eat."

They still had things to do after dinner.

Naruto looked down at the table. It was covered with foods he liked.

"These are all things I like. I don't know if they suit your taste," the black-haired teenager said softly.

Naruto did not know why, but he was already sitting down.

He picked up the chopsticks resting on his bowl.

"Thanks for the meal."